Nigeria’s campaign for a record-extending 11th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title suffered a major setback after the Super Falcons were beaten 3-2 by tournament debutants Malawi in their Group C opener at the Al Madina Stadium, Rabat.
In one of the biggest upsets in WAFCON history, the defending champions dominated possession for much of the match but were punished by Malawi’s clinical counterattacking style, spearheaded by sisters Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga.
Temwa Chawinga opened the scoring in the 69th minute, before Tabitha doubled Malawi’s lead five minutes later. Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade converted a stoppage-time penalty in the 92nd minute to reduce the deficit, but Temwa restored Malawi’s two-goal advantage three minutes later with her second goal of the game. Uchenna Kanu scored in the 98th minute, but it was only a consolation as Malawi secured a famous victory on their WAFCON debut.
The defeat leaves head coach Justin Madugu and his team under pressure ahead of a crucial Group C clash against Zambia.
Nigeria’s defensive weaknesses were exposed throughout the game as the team pushed forward in search of goals, leaving large spaces at the back. Malawi capitalised on the gaps with swift counterattacks, while the Super Falcons struggled to create clear scoring opportunities despite dominating possession.
Malawi also impressed defensively, remaining compact and disciplined while forcing Nigeria into ineffective attacks. The result raises concerns for the Super Falcons ahead of their next fixture against Zambia, where another defensive display of this nature could seriously threaten their hopes of retaining the continental title.